Sentara Norfolk General Hospital

FIRE DAMAGE THREATENS TO SHUT HOSPITAL DOWN, SO TRANE STEPS UP

Hospital Needs to Keep Working, So Trane Works Around the Clock

Fire takes out the HVAC system, then summer heats things up.

On a hot Friday morning, a fire raged at Sentara Norfolk General
Hospital in Norfolk, Virginia. When the smoke had cleared, five of the
seven chiller plants that served the hospital were victims of the
conflagration. With the temperature rising, and the heat index topping
out at 105 degrees, the hospital was unable to control the heat and
humidity in the building – two absolutely critical hospital needs. But
they knew people’s lives depended on the doors staying open – and they
weren’t going to let anything, not even a devastating fire, make them
turn people away. “Before the fire was out we decided that Trane would
be the lead contractor,” said Joe Savala, Norfolk Sentara Facilities
Director. “We told Trane we expected to be back on line before Monday
morning.” It was quite a challenge—but Trane accepted.

The competition says no way Trane can pull it off.

Trane reacted quickly and devised a plan. First, it was vital to
restore climate control to the hospital immediately. They needed
temporary chillers and they needed them quickly. Trane’s rental depot
in Charlotte, North Carolina was alerted and within 12 hours Trane
began delivering 5,200 tons of portable cooling capacity. Within 24
hours all chillers were on site. At the hospital, people were feeling
a little better already, "We knew we had made the right decision
when the convoy of trucks and portable cooling equipment started
rolling in before midnight that Friday," said Savala. Geoff
Pierce, Trane account manager said, "Competitors told the
hospital that Trane couldn’t pull it off, but our customer trusted us.
It was time for Trane to deliver and we did."

A Hospital With a No-Quit Attitude, a Company With No Quitting Time.

Just getting the chillers on site was a monumental task, but for
Trane the job was just beginning. To meet the huge labor demand
associated with connecting all the units Trane’s technicians worked
around the clock. This was after all, not just a local hospital it was
also the local children’s hospital and the area’s only trauma and burn
center, so our commitment to getting vital people back on the job was
unwavering. Within 48 hours, the HVAC job was complete. By connecting
the chillers to the hospitals chilled water system, the hospital was
able to stay open while the electrical distribution system was
rebuilt. And with the temporary chillers running, the hospital’s
patients were safe, sterile environments could be maintained, and the
weekend’s appointments and surgeries continued as scheduled.

About Sentara Norfolk General Hospital

Sentara Norfolk’s central chilled water plant plant serves Sentara
Norfolk General Hospital, Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters
(CHKD) and Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS). Sentara Norfolk
General Hospital is Hampton Road’s only Level 1 trauma and burn center
and has among the best cardiac and cancer treatment centers in the
United States. CHKD serves children with many different medical needs
and includes the nation’s largest neonatal intensive care and
pediatric care units. EVMS is an educational and research facility
that works with local medical organizations to provide students and
residents with a broad base of clinical experience.